US Education System

American education system is different from the education systems of any other country! Are you planning to earn degree from American university? The US education system offers foreign students most diverse set of education options which may vary from microbiology to film and design. American education opportunities are virtually endless!

In many niches and sectors, the American education system offers the most advanced, latest and highly technical programs at the world's best schools. That is why getting education from an accredited American school and being exposed to the nuances of the US education system is worth an investment for your bright future.

Whether you aspire to study at a top USA university, college, or at a USA ESL, a thorough understanding of how the American education system functions is mandatory. Let’s see how exactly the US education system functions.

Primary School

American children go to school at the age of five years which is called kindergarten. The second year at school is termed as first grade. In America, the terminology grade stands for the score obtained on an exam or in a course, and a year of schooling in primary or secondary school. Primary school generally consists of five years of education.

Secondary School

After completion of fifth grade, they advance to secondary school, which typically consists of seven years, from sixth through twelfth grades. The ninth through twelfth grades are generally termed as high school, at the end of which the high school diploma certificate is earned. The students must acquire a high school diploma prior to admission into university or college. Foreign students must have completed coursework equivalent to American high school and must consider how their selected high school can enable them access to the best colleges.

Undergraduate School

Students aspiring to attend college or university after completion of high school must attend undergraduate school. These schools offer either a two-year Associate degree or a four-year Bachelor degree in a specific course of study. That course is called the major. Although most schools offering a four-year degree, will accept students who have not chosen a major, all students are required to choose (or declare) a major by their second year at school. After completion of an Associate degree the student can continue to study at a four-year school and finally earn a Bachelor degree.

Graduate School

After obtaining a Bachelor’s degree student can continue to pursue one out of two types of degrees. One is a Master’s degree which is generally a two-year degree that is highly specialized in a particular field. Students willing to advance their education in a specific field can pursue a Doctorate degree, called a PhD. This degree may take between three and six years to complete, based on the course of study selected, the potential of the student, and the thesis being selected.

Some courses of study are only available at the graduate level in America. The most popular of these are dentistry, law, and medicine. Bachelor’s degree is the first requisite to pursue these specific fields.